Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan start pulling troops out of border zone

BISHKEK, January 29. /ITAR-TASS/. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have started withdrawing their military assets from the border conflict zone, a spokesman for the Kyrgyz Border Service told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

“Withdrawal of border security and other special military forces and equipment from the border territories follows the decision taken by the two sides on January 15,” the spokesman said.

On January 11, Tajik and Kyrgyz border guards exchanged fire near the Batken village of Ak-Sai in Kyrgyzstan. Six Kyrgyz nationals and two Tajiks were wounded in the shootout.

The conflict was triggered by Kyrgyzstan's construction of a loop road around the Tajik enclave of Vorukh.

“Negotiations over the incident on the Kyrgyz -Tajik border continue at the moment,” the Kyrgyz Border Service said. “The countries’ delegations discuss the issues of conflict settlement and possible joint activities to prevent such incidents on the border."